Challenges for Diadromous Fishes in a Dynamic Global Environment

Changing Themes in the Study of Diadromous Fishes

Thomas P. Quinn

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874080.ch52

Abstract.—In the two decades since the first symposium devoted to anadromous and catadromous fishes, the study of these fishes and their life history patterns has benefited from numerous advances in perspectives and techniques. Molecular ecology, fisheries oceanography, conservation biology, climate change, nutrient cycling, and landscape ecology are some of the many fields that have blossomed during this period, providing a wealth of insights for those studying migratory fishes. The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between the 1986 and 2007 symposia, noting some of the scientific advances, but also the fact that many populations of diadromous fishes have declined. These problems are reflected in the focus of the present symposium on conservation and socioeconomic aspects, as well as life history, diversity, and migration patterns. The enormity of the changes in the environment, both natural and anthropogenic, poses tremendous challenges for diadromous fishes and further emphasizes the need for linkage between research and conservation, using all the tools at the disposal of modern science and the development of new ones.